Chapter Eight: A Little Arrogance Is Only Reasonable, Isn't It?

“Fang Xiaoru, I believe your student is quite right. My temperament has been difficult for a long time now.”
“But I can promise you this: if you are willing to be Wei Zheng, I do not mind being Emperor Taizong of Tang.”
“If you are not willing, then do not blame me for acting like Emperor Yang of Sui.”
“After all, I seized this kingdom by force; losing it would not trouble me.”
“I give you three days to consider. When I return to pay respects to my father after three days, if I have not obtained what I desire, then you shall die!”

Zhu Di lost his patience and, having issued his ultimatum, turned and left.

Daoyan looked at Fang Xiaoru with pity. “Old friend, do not deceive yourself.”

Then he turned and gave Chen Kan a friendly smile.

Chen Kan was baffled. Was that it? No interrogation or torture to force a confession?

“Pah, foolish words from a child,” he muttered.

Suddenly, Chen Kan realized his feet were off the ground.

He kicked twice in midair.

No, it wasn’t an illusion.

Tilting his head, he saw two heavily armored guards, one on each side, holding his arms and lifting him up.

“Hm?”

“What are you doing? In broad daylight, is there still law and order?”

Being lifted in such a humiliating manner, Chen Kan wanted to resist, but dared not.

So, wisely, he covered his face with his hands...

Fortunately, this position did not last long.

Soon, Chen Kan’s feet touched solid ground again.

The dazzling sunlight hurt his eyes. Rubbing the sore corners of his eyes, Chen Kan squinted to take in his surroundings.

Though armored guards were everywhere, the faint view of the street and the blazing sun all told him one thing:

He was no longer in a prison cell.

Such a joyous, wonderful, and delightful realization!

Chen Kan was moved to tears by the feeling of freedom.

Could it be? Was his luck finally turning?

“Chen Kan?”

Zhu Di’s deep baritone voice snapped him back to reality.

Focusing, Chen Kan saw Zhu Di sitting astride a white horse, looking down at him with an expression Chen Kan could not fathom.

Beside the horse knelt the prison guard who had gone to fetch the doctor, bowing deeply and trembling.

Seeing this, Chen Kan could only obediently bow and clasp his hands. “I am here.”

Zhu Di asked, “You should know what I want, correct?”

Chen Kan bowed his head in response, “Yes.”

Zhu Di said, “Good. I entrust you with a task: persuade your teacher to serve me. If you succeed, wealth and honor will surely be yours. If not, three days hence, you will join him in the afterlife.”

“Ah?”

Chen Kan was stunned. Damn it, where was the justice in this?

Clearly, Zhu Di had no intention of reasoning. Having spoken, he turned his horse and rode away, leaving Chen Kan alone and bewildered in the wind.

Then, those same two soldiers lifted Chen Kan in the same humiliating fashion and carried him back to the cell.

Fortunately, Fang Xiaoru seemed to have tired himself out and was now snoring in a corner.

Looking at Fang Xiaoru, Chen Kan’s anger flared.

Why did it have to be Zhu Di? He was, after all, the famous Yongle Emperor—was it so shameful to serve him?

If you won’t serve, fine; but why drag me down to death with you?

Did I come all the way from the twenty-first century just to die like this?

Chen Kan’s mood could be summed up in two words: irritated, extremely irritated.

He knew his current state was wrong, but so much had happened in just one morning since he crossed over.

The anger inside him was impossible to suppress.

“Sigh!”

He sighed, forcing himself to calm down.

He had thought that if persuading Fang Xiaoru failed, he could at least bow to Zhu Gaochi and beg for help.

With Zhu Gaochi’s contributions during the Jingnan Campaign, if he pleaded on Chen Kan’s behalf, perhaps Zhu Di would show mercy when executing Fang Xiaoru’s clan.

But now, with Fang Xiaoru feigning madness, Chen Kan was truly cornered.

Fang Xiaoru would rather pretend to be a fool, eat wood, dirt, and even feces than face his moral dilemma.

Chen Kan no longer held any hope of convincing him.

Let him be; if he dies, so be it.

With that thought, Chen Kan decided to give up.

He found some relatively clean straw and laid it on the ground, lying down in the most comfortable position he could find.

Chen Kan began to await his death.

...

After turning a few times, Chen Kan regretted not protecting his precious bowl of mush earlier.

Such a valuable meal had fallen victim to Fang Xiaoru’s madness.

“Ah, I’m so hungry.”

Chen Kan lay sprawled on the ground, staring at the low ceiling, listening to Fang Xiaoru’s snoring, louder than thunder.

At last, hunger overcame reason.

Chen Kan sprang up and went to the door of the cell, pounding on it and shouting, “Someone, please! Quickly!”

The same two prison guards came running, scolding, “What now?”

“I’m hungry. I want to eat!”

Chen Kan spoke boldly. Since he was about to die anyway, why not be brazen?

The guards grumbled in impatience, “Only one meal a day. Endure it!”

“Stop right there!”

Chen Kan suddenly shouted, startling the two guards.

They were angry and yelled, “Are you tired of living?”

Chen Kan pointed at the guard who had knelt beside Zhu Di that morning. “You, come here.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you. I order you to immediately go to Jude Tower and order a meal for me.”

The guard looked incredulous. “Are you crazy? Why should I?”

“Because I have the emperor’s command. If I fail, both of you will die with me.”

Chen Kan said calmly, as if he truly were an important figure.

The other guard sneered, “An imperial command? I think you’re the one who’s going to die.”

But Chen Kan said no more, simply looking at them as if they were fools.

The guard was unnerved by the stare and demanded, “What kind of look is that?”

Chen Kan replied with disdain, “The look one gives to fools.”

“You’re asking for death!”

“Tsk, I say you’re fools and you don’t believe me.”

Chen Kan rolled his eyes and asked the guard, “Did you hear everything between me and Prince Yan just now?”

The guard nodded, “I heard it. So what?”

Chen Kan raised his voice. “So what?”

“Do you realize that if you treat me cruelly now, what will happen when I get out?”

Another guard asked curiously, “What will happen?”